The worst evil that can happen in any government is a
divided executive; and, as a plural executive must, from
the nature of men, be forever divided, this is a demonstration
that a plural executive is a great evil, and incompatible
with liberty. That emulation in the human heart, which
produces rivalries of men, cities, and nations, which produces
almost all the good in human life, produces, also,
almost all the evil. This is my philosophy of government.
The great art lies in managing this emulation. It is the only
defence against its own excesses. The emulation of the legislative
and executive powers should be made to control
each other. The emulation between the rich and the poor
among the people, should be made to check itself by balancing
the two houses in the legislature, which represent
these two classes of society, so invidious at all times against
each other.